Fish oil regulates asthma symptoms, finds study

Fish oil can reduce the production of antibodies that cause allergic reactions and asthma symptoms

Fish oil and other products with omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the production of antibodies that cause allergic reactions and asthma symptoms, a new study has claimed.

Researchers from University of Rochester Medical Centre (URMC) in the US found that for patients with severe asthma who use high doses of oral steroids, the omega-3 fatty acids are less effective because the corticosteroids block the beneficial effects.

Richard P Phipps from Rochester and his laboratory had previously shown that certain fatty acids contained in fish oil regulate the function of immune cells (B cells). They wanted to further investigate the effects on asthma.

People with asthma have an imbalance between molecules that dampen inflammation and those that increase inflammation.

Using steroids as treatment controls the inflammation and relieves symptoms, but does not cure the underlying disease.

Researchers collected blood from 17 patients and isolated their B immune cells in the laboratory to explore the impact of pure omega-3-derived products on Immunoglobulin E (IgE) — the antibodies that cause allergic reactions and asthma symptoms in people with milder cases of asthma — and other molecules that fuel the disease.

They compared the results of the 17 patients to donors of healthy blood cells.

Most of the patients who volunteered for the study were taking corticosteroids in either pill form or by inhaler, depending upon severity of their asthma.

The study showed that all responded to the omega-3 fatty acids to some degree, as evidenced by a reduction in the levels of IgE antibodies.

However, unexpectedly, Phipps said, the cells from a small subset of patients who were taking oral steroids were less sensitive to the omega-3 treatment.